Post-chewing sunny...

[Skittys_Daddy]

No, I don't mean that Skittles is chewing on your posts. lol. But if he did, he'd probably chew up any post that wasn't about him, so at least I'd be in the clear. hahaha lol

Seriously though, I'm just wondering how people handle situations where they discover their fid has chewed on something they shouldn't have but are unable to tell when it happened.

I know that unless you catch the bird in the act, any sort of punishment or redirection isn't going to work.

Reason I ask is that I have a practically brand new $200 Serta office chair and Skittles chewed an inch long hole in it (right along the seam) and completely removed the seam so there is no way to repair it. I spoke with my friend/neighbor about it and told her it wasn't his fault, it was mine and while she said I'm handling it a lot better than she would she wonders why I always take the "Skittles can do no wrong" defense.

Am I doing that by not punishing him? I mean, "technically" it IS my fault. I let him sit on top of my Serta BUT I usually have a cover on it as well as a preventative matting that he CAN chew on so he doesn't chew on the chair. It was in the laundry and I never got around to putting it back on, I got distracted. When I catch Skittles in the act of chewing on something he shouldn't be chewing on (the stove lid or the fridge corners) I scold him and redirect him. That works, but this situation was different. If I punish him now for the chair (which again I believe was my fault) he won't know the difference and will think I'm punishing him for something he isn't even doing wrong.

Am I wrong in thinking that? How do others address post-chewing behaviors? Any tips? All I can think of is being more mindful of my surroundings to ensure that there aren't access points to non-chewing areas etc.

 

[Laurasea]

Yep your fault. If they can get to it they chew it. I'm not sure punishment for a natural behavior is effective..give him more fun stuff to destroy like cardboard, brown paper bags..stuff he can easily shred and feel victorious!

 

[Aratingettar]

I feel your pain... Cytrynka also chewed lots of stuff she should not. Unfortunately can't give any good advice, but I'm interested what more experiend parronts will suggest.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Oh he has PLENTY of things he CAN chew on both inside and outside the cage. But given that he normally doesn't "see" that part of the chair, it may have been tempting to him as if he was saying "hmm, this looks new. lets chew it up!"


I don't have the greatest of confidence in my parronting. I just always feel the need to give him 110% one hundred percent of the time. I doubt myself constantly. But when I think I'm doing to the right thing (or handling it the right way) I feel more confident if its validated I guess.

 

[lplummer52]

We always say, “Birdie pretty much does what she wants to do around here. Arrrgh! We always use “Ah, Ah, Ah! To stop her doing a destructive behavior. She knows what means, but tests us always. You have to remember they are way smarter than you ever thought. You have to always outsmart them. It can be done. After all.....

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I've had Skittles for 7 1/2 years and he STILL outsmarts me. I could easily explain that by saying I'm an idiot, but I don't believe I am. I think I'm pretty smart when it comes to birds, but somehow he ALWAYS finds a way. He is a VERY determined sunny. He's EXTREMELY stubborn and opinionated. lol. But I love him anyways.

 

[Jen5200]

I think you are going at it the right way - what’s done is done and you didn’t catch him at it to let him know that it was bad. Skittles has long forgotten the chair and wouldn't understand “no” after the fact. My suns both love to chew and they are devious about getting at things when I’m not looking lol. I just redirect them or tell them no when I catch them, otherwise I just assume it’s my fault for not paying attention

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I think you are going at it the right way - what’s done is done and you didn’t catch him at it to let him know that it was bad. Skittles has long forgotten the chair and wouldn't understand “no” after the fact. My suns both love to chew and they are devious about getting at things when I’m not looking lol. I just redirect them or tell them no when I catch them, otherwise I just assume it’s my fault for not paying attention

Thanks, that is pretty much the exact mindset I have. Its just that when people I highly respect and trust (but know next to nothing about birds) question how I'm going about my parronting, I start to doubt myself. So I came here so you could all tell me what an awesome parront I am and how jealous you all are of me & Skitty (nanner, nanner). LOL. Just kidding, I needed the reassurance is all.

 

[Flboy]

As all said, yep, your fault! Nothing to discipline! Bird appears to be a bird! No different than JoJo trying to remove another wart!
Side diversion, I am at the age when a sunburn and tan were considered healthy, also blue eyes, I have the joy of multiple surgeries yearly for skin cancer! Past two years, JoJo has been going nuts over the hot spots that are developing! So far, he has been batting 1000!
I go into the dermo, point to the areas he is upset with, they test, surgery scheduled!

 

[Aratingettar]

Side diversion, I am at the age when a sunburn and tan were considered healthy, also blue eyes, I have the joy of multiple surgeries yearly for skin cancer! Past two years, JoJo has been going nuts over the hot spots that are developing! So far, he has been batting 1000!
I go into the dermo, point to the areas he is upset with, they test, surgery scheduled!

The skills of our Fids are amazing! I'm glad JoJo brings confidence to you, with him along you can be assured you control the disease.
Someone not involved in parronting, will never understand how much they give back to us..

 

[LordTriggs]

I look at it like when a dog has an accident in the house when you're out. You come back and see it and most will agree that by that point scolding them will do nothing but confuse them because doing it is far gone from their mind. Birds are much the same but with everything they do, it's always a 1:1 association, so if you were to see the hole chewed then go over to him whilst he's say playing with his toys and you were to tell him off, he wouldn't understand you meant the chair and would think what he's doing with his toys is bad because "I got told off when touching this, so if I don't touch that I don't get told off"

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

The skills of our Fids are amazing! I'm glad JoJo brings confidence to you, with him along you can be assured you control the disease.
Someone not involved in parronting, will never understand how much they give back to us..

You ain't kidding. I witnessed that first hand with my ankle/foot injury. I was dumbfounded with how he reacted. I shouldn't have been, but I was. I'm just so used to his "its all about me, never about you" attitude. lol.